This interesting tweet came across my feed recently.
A good leader not only takes you somewhere but shows you the way.
— J. D. Landis (@J_D_Landis) May 17, 2018
At first blush this has merit. However, I think it doesn't really show where that 'somewhere' should be.
The tweet implies that the leader is taking the person somewhere she wants them to go. Sometimes, this is the case. However, I believe good leaders open themselves up enough to the point where they can vision the path within the person and them help them proceed on their journey. They do this by asking the person about their hopes, dreams, skills, fears, experiences, etc.
The good leader guides the person on their path, but allows the person to find their voice and express it. Empowering the person to see their own light helps unlock potential.
Leaders, your path to success is not necessarily someone else's path, unless yours is to help others find theirs.